NDRRMA recommends declaration of disaster-hit local bodies as crisis zone
KATHMANDU, Oct 5: The government is preparing to declare 14 districts, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, as disaster-crisis areas.
The decision was made during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) held at Singha Durbar on Friday. The meeting aimed to accelerate rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in 14 districts severely affected by floods, landslides, and inundation.
Sindhupalchowk and Manang districts declared disaster-hit zones
The executive committee of the NDRRMA recommended the government declare the municipalities hardest hit by disasters as crisis zones.
The meeting was chaired by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. Basanta Adhikari, joint secretary of the NDRRMA, said that the affected districts, along with specific local bodies, will be declared as disaster crisis areas.
"We will specify the number of local levels as well, and disaster crisis areas will be declared according to Section 32 of the Act," Adhikari said.
It may be noted that the incessant rainfall on September 27, 28 and 29 induced flooding, landslides and inundations in various places across the country leaving 239 dead and 18 missing.
Many people were injured and over 17,000 people were rescued from the flood and landslide-hit areas. The disasters incurred huge financial loss, while the physical infrastructures worth Rs 25 billion were damaged in the disasters, according to the statistics revealed by the government.
The disasters mostly affected the districts, such as Taplejung, Kavrepalanchowk, Paanchthar, Kathmandu, Sankhuwasabha, Lalitpur, Solukhubu, Bhaktapur, Dolakha, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Makawanpur, Sindhupalchowk and Dhading, the NDRRMA stated.
